8-member DGCA team starts AI main base audit

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A specially expanded eight-member DGCA team, more than double the usual audit strength, began the review on Monday. While officials said the audit was scheduled before the June 12 crash that killed all but one of the 242 persons on board, its timing has drawn sharp attention to the airline’s internal systems and “regulatory oversight”.

The annual audit will cover a wide range of areas, including flight operations, aircraft documentation, airworthiness, crew training, flight planning, scheduling and Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC) functions.

“The DGCA has started the audit at Air India's main base in Gurugram. This annual exercise is comprehensive and looks into all critical areas of airline functioning,” said a source familiar with the development.

The Tata Group-owned carrier has come under increased regulatory scrutiny after its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight to London crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12. The incident has triggered a wider probe into Air India's safety culture, compliance and operational reliability.

Sources said the audit exercise was part of a broader DGCA effort to reinforce oversight and identify systemic weaknesses.

On June 21, the aviation regulator sought detailed records from Air India on inspections, audits, flight and cabin crew checks, ramp inspections and other safety metrics conducted since 2024.This followed a show-cause notice issued to the airline over violations of flight duty time limitations, which also led to the removal of three senior airline officials from their posts.

In a related move, the DGCA has introduced a new framework for special audits--a layer of evaluation beyond the standard annual surveillance programme. These in-depth inspections aim to provide a holistic 360-degree assessment of the airline’s operational and safety systems, in line with international aviation standards.